Begin your routine with a simple warmup. This is easily accomplished by riding a stationary bike for 10 minutes at a very moderate pace.

The purpose is not to get a cardio workout here … you are only trying to warm up the heart for the activity ahead, and to get blood flowing through the body at a faster rate. Feel free to alternate the stationary bike with the treadmill, rower, or any other aerobic activity.

The following basic routine is designed for a beginner. It trains the entire body in each workout. You will be doing one exercise per bodypart, for one set of 12 to 15 repetitions using a relatively light weight.

Never start an exercise (especially one that you are unfamiliar with) with poundages that overstress the muscles and make a movement diffucult to perform.

Naturally, all beginners will vary in age and strength levels, so I cannot recommend any starting poundages that would be ideal for all. However, I have listed some approximate weights for the average male and female. Use more or less than my suggestions based on how you feel they apply to your own physical condition.

Cardio Work: Some form of cardiovascular exercise should be performed for 20 to 30 minutes three times per week.

Beginners should strive to perform all exercises in perfect style—that is, lift the weight slowly and under complete control. Do not swing or heave the weight up, bounce, jerk, or otherwise employ momentum.

Use full range movements with slow and controlled style. You have to learn proper form and technique in these beginning stages to work your muscles through their full range of motion (ROM).

POINTS TO REMEMBER

Follow this routine for a minimum of 4 weeks, but you can use it up to 3 months if needed.

Rest for 60 to 90 seconds between sets.

Keep a training journal and record all weights, sets, and reps. Try to beat your previous workout.

Remember to keep you exercises basic and simple, especially in the beginning.

Always emphasize proper form over heavier weight, but increase weight or reps, or both when possible.

If fat loss is your goal, try doing your cardio work first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. If that is not possible, perform it after your weight training.

DO NOT overdo it!

As time goes on, and you become more experienced, you may opt for an advanced 5 day per week routine. It is important that you do no more than 5 sets per bodypart, and keep your rep range between 6 and 12.

That "beginner" routine has very heavy starting weights for women. 20 lbs bicep curls is tough - I can barely get through 3 sets with 15 lbs. And I've been doing this for a year. No - start much lower I'd say. Biceps like 8lbs or so.

Seated row - how do you do that? Does it give directions for the exercises? I've done rows but not seated. and 30 lbs is a lot for that too I think.

Triceps lying - start with 5 I'd say.

Take them all lower - and see how you do. These numbers are very high to start.

Nope.. .Keep it to 10 reps max. That's it.. no more. no 12, no 15, no 25.

10

TEN reps. That's it.

Weight.. as heavy or light as it takes to get 10 reps. Simple. No more, no less

start with 5 or 8 pounds. If you can do 11 reps.. it's too light. go heavier until you can only do 10 reps. That's the perfect weight. 9 reps is ok and 8 reps is ok too, but more than 10 is not

after a week, 2 weeks, a month, whatever... when you can do 11 reps... it's too light.. add more weight.

this is to be easy... nothing to calculate... baby steps

Pick one or two exercises per body part and stick with them for 6 weeks, then change your program

... and MEL, I'm not saying your wrong and I'm not saying the program is wrong.. I have a plan here. I have a bigger picture in mind. Thank you for the posts and thank you for participating and thank you for involving yourself in the discussion. I have nothing but praise and appreciation for everyone. This one thing thought... I have a plan. Didn't someone famous say that?

There is NO way I could personally answer every question. That would not be impossible, but highly improbable. Therefore, I fully love and appreciate each of you supporting one another and I thank you all for that. Please do not misunderstand.

I appreciate all information. I am so just starting to learn what to do and what not to do. The info I posted was given as a beginners exercise routine on another forum. Truly as a beginner I had no idea whether it was realistic or not.

I totally understand what you and darlene and the others are trying to teach me here. It is so less complicated. I truly thank you all for that.

I definiately will stick around and participate in as much as I can. As I find or learn new ideas I will want to share and hopefully be able to get great input from all my friends here.

Good morning Rob. I am a senior, weigh 260 pounds and unfortunatly my muscles have deteriorated after years of being confined to bed rest. Is it too late to retran these muscles to be strong enough to carry me. I purchased a ball and understand that I need dumbells for dummies. I'll be looking forward to your instructions.